May 25, 2004

White Tea Kills More Germs Than Green Tea

White tea's better, according to new research from Pace University announced today at the American Society for Microbiology general meeting in New Orleans. "Our research shows that White Tea Extract can actually destroy in vitro the organisms that cause disease," says Milton Schiffenbauer, a microbiologist and professor in Pace's department of biology. Summarizing the research:

- The anti-bacterial and anti-viral effect of white tea is greater than that of green tea.
- The addition of white tea extract to several brands of toothpaste enhanced their anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.
- White tea extract had an anti-fungal effect on both Penicillium chrysogenum [the source of penicillin antibiotic] and Saccharomyces cerevisiae [a classic baker's and brewer's yeast strain].
- White tea extract may help inactivate bacteria, viruses and fungi that affect humans.